Deron’s pass was not a season breaker

Everyone is allowed to make a mistake every now and then, even if the mistake ends up costing a team a game. And that includes the team’s best player.

Deron Williams threw away an inbounds pass that allowed the Toronto Raptors’ Patrick Patterson to beat the Nets on a late shot Monday night, 104-103. It was an otherwise efficient night for Williams, who had 11 assists and three turnovers. It was a difficult pill to swallow, but a veteran player of Williams’ stature knows he will need to store it away.

“It’s not my first time turning the ball over to lose a game, probably won’t be my last. So I’ve just got to respond on Friday [against Oklahoma City],” Williams said.

Jason Kidd, a future Hall of Famer, also understands brutal losses need to be tucked away quickly, and he appeared ready to move at the post-game press conference.

Said Kidd: “It happens. You put the ball in your best player’s hands, and you’re asking him to make plays. Sometimes you make a mistake and you turn the ball over, and that’s what happened tonight.”

In other words, one hiccup is not enough to halt the progress of the Nets, who improved to 20-23 and were in the seventh playoff spot after Monday’s loss.

The Nets would’ve been tied with Washington for the sixth spot and been a half-game behind Chicago for the fifth berth, but there is more than enough time for the surging squad to overtake both teams. However, things will get a little more difficult over the next two games for the Nets, who host the Thunder on Friday and then travel to Indiana to battle the Pacers on Saturday.

A split of those two games should be just enough to keep the good feelings going.